This is one ridiculously big airplane!!

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 6:28 am

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.s ... entry=true

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:33 am

More info here:
http://www.airbus.com/product/a380_backgrounder.asp

550+ passengers, nice.
"OK ladies and gentlement, we'll begin boarding our fourth and fifth class passengers now. Please wait your turn so we can have an on time departure of tomorrow."

Warlock · Post by **Warlock** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:52 am

so there finaley building one
but wait i though all of thes air liners are going out of biz cause of 911

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 10:30 am

Its beautiful.

And I want to fly it NOW on my flight simulator.

I hope its well-built because I hear the other Airbus planes are'nt so hot. IE using incredibly thin bolts to attach the engine to the wing and all kinds of mechanical problems like it.

HaAGen DaZS · Post by **HaAGen DaZS** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:29 am

we're low on fuels as it is.

i wonder how often this bad boy will actually be full? madness.

AceCombat · Post by **AceCombat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:07 pm

Top Wop wrote:Its beautiful.

And I want to fly it NOW on my flight simulator.

ill get you a link from www.Simviation.com so you can download the A-380

UPDATE: another website that has it is www.flightsim.com

you need to register a user name, but be forwarned, this website is very heavily used, sometimes it takes forever to get a slot to browse the site.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:58 pm

HaAGen DaZS wrote:we're low on fuels as it is.

i wonder how often this bad boy will actually be full? madness.

Quite often in the Asian markets actually. I believe most of the publicized orders are from the Asian carriers, some of which are now using B747's on short haul routes. If they can fill a B747 for a short haul route, it makes sense to use a larger aircraft if they can. Their CASM (cost per Available Seat Mile) will probably go down. Plus, because the A380 is going to be more fuel efficient, your fuel costs shouldn't change much.

As a point of interest, the hydraulic system on this beast is going to operate at 5,000 psi. This is a pressure that only supersonic aircraft had operated before. Crazy stuff.

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 3:56 pm

I wonder how long it'll be before we get that plane from The Fifth Element.

AceCombat · Post by **AceCombat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:19 pm

or the flying cars, and police cars with 5 machine guns in the front bumper

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:21 pm

AceCombat wrote:or the flying cars, and police cars with 5 machine guns in the front bumper

You forgot the hot chicks into your falling backseat.

Though in your case it'd be a cat.

(I had to say it)

Flabby Chick · Post by **Flabby Chick** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:42 pm

Ded, i hate these plane posts.......hunks of metal are supposed to be on the ground. I have to fly to the UK soon and all your doing is reminding me, please.....

FC

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 6:54 pm

Hey Flabby, I could explain the physics behind what makes almost 1,000,000 lbs of metal fly. Whould that make you feel better?

AceCombat · Post by **AceCombat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:22 pm

i could aswell. Bernoulli's Principal

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 8:29 pm

Actually, depending on which theory you buy into, Bernoulli's Principal isn't it. Here is a good read on the subject of the circulation theory.

http://www.onemetre.net/Download/Downwa ... Circul.htm

AceCombat · Post by **AceCombat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:45 pm

i still go for Bernoulli

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 10:46 pm

This plane has Nothin on a C-5.

http://www.100megspopup.com/photo4phood ... /c5-2.html

...now THAT's a big plane.....

Sage · Post by **Sage** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:48 pm

Whoa... So what does the C5 do? Airborne infantry drops?

fliptw · Post by **fliptw** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 12:45 am

Duper wrote:This plane has Nothin on a C-5.

http://www.100megspopup.com/photo4phood ... /c5-2.html

...now THAT's a big plane.....

and here's a bigger plane still.

They are HUGE.

roid · Post by **roid** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 4:02 am

RE:FW: w4nt a big.gger pla.ne? . . . . . . H K 4 j GT

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 4:17 am

check out the An 224. It's the biggest.

Specifications; Engines; (six) ZMDB Progress D-18 turbofans 229.5 kN. (51,590 lbs. st.), Wing Span 88.74 m. (290'), Length; 84 m. (275 m.), Maximum take off weight; 600,000 kg. (1,322,770 lb.), Cruising speed; 850 km/h (530 mph.), Range with 200,000 kg. (440,000 lbs.) - 4,500 km. (2,795 miles)

Lothar · Post by **Lothar** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 9:35 am

lol roid!

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 12:31 pm

fliptw wrote:
Duper wrote:This plane has Nothin on a C-5.

http://www.100megspopup.com/photo4phood ... /c5-2.html

...now THAT's a big plane.....
and here's a bigger plane still.

They are HUGE.

For some reason that doesn't seem nearly as big...

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 6:27 pm

Sage, They move tanks with it too .. you can put a C-130 in a C-5 if ya need.

The russians have an even bigger plane, kinda thier version of the Spruce goose. It's a massive craft that doesn't really fly. It more like hovers 30 feet over water. The dynamics of the wings cause air to be repelled off the water surface adding to the lift the wings generate. It's kinda bizarre. I can't remember the name of it. As I recall, it was neer realy used. It was more an experimental craft.

Flatlander · Post by **Flatlander** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 9:53 pm

Duper wrote:Sage, They move tanks with it too .. you can put a C-130 in a C-5 if ya need.

The russians have an even bigger plane, kinda thier version of the Spruce goose. It's a massive craft that doesn't really fly. It more like hovers 30 feet over water. The dynamics of the wings cause air to be repelled off the water surface adding to the lift the wings generate. It's kinda bizarre. I can't remember the name of it. As I recall, it was neer realy used. It was more an experimental craft.

They're called ekranoplans, or WIGs (wing-in-ground effect).

http://www.se-technology.com/wig/index.php

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 2:32 pm

Actually, IIRC the largest plane of all time was made of wood, and flew one time only: Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose". That plane is so big that a 747 will fit UNDER EACH WING!!

Don't think I want to fly in it though!

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 3:01 pm

FLATLANDER!

YOu Rock dude!!!

Thanks!

I knew I hadn't been drinking too much...

Mobius, The Spruce Goose is currently like 25 miles from where I live. There is an air musium will all sorts of cool planes. .. theres s German 109-E .. that WORKS. 0_o

Flatlander · Post by **Flatlander** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:15 pm

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:21 pm

Mobius wrote:Actually, IIRC the largest plane of all time was made of wood, and flew one time only: Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose". That plane is so big that a 747 will fit UNDER EACH WING!!

Don't think I want to fly in it though!

You are right about it being the biggest. But there is a bit of controvercy about whether it actually flew or not. See, it didn't get very high off of the water, maybe a few feet or so. At that "altitude" it was probably still in ground effect and essentially was no better than one of Duper's ekranoplans.

Flatlander · Post by **Flatlander** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:14 pm

Just off the top of my head, some more big-@$$ aircraft:

Blohm und Voss Bv 222 Wiking
http://photo.starnet.ru/Thematic_Wallpa ... ki/Bv-222/

http://www.luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmi/itf/bv222.htm

Blohm und Voss Bv 238
http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/blohm-voss/bv238.htm

http://www.luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmi/itf/bv238.htm

Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/me323.html

Antonov An-124 'Condor'

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/an-124.htm

Antonov An-225 Mriya 'Cossack'

http://www.theaviationzone.com/factshee ... _specs.asp

http://www.challoner.com/aviation/pix/mryia/

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/b-52.htm

Boeing 747

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747family/flash.html

Convair B-36 Peacemaker

http://home.flash.net/~mzinkand/b36/

Convair XC-99

http://www.40th-bomb-wing.com/gallery6.html

Hughes HK-1 / H-4 Flying Boat

http://www.sprucegoose.org/Brief%20History.htm

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=84
http://www.lmaeronautics.com/products/airmobility/c5/

Martin PB2M / JRM Mars

http://www.vectorsite.net/avmars.html

Edit - almost forgot the Guppies!

http://www.allaboutguppys.com/

Top Gun · Post by **Top Gun** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:33 pm

I've walked through the cargo hold of a C-5 once or twice at air shows. Let me tell you, those things are immense. Perhaps more jaw-dropping is taking a closer look at one of those engines; they're practically big enough to live in. At this same air show, I saw several airmen setting up lawn chairs on the wings to watch the presentations; now that's a good seat

.

Richard Cranium · Post by **Richard Cranium** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 1:37 pm

What about ground weight? Are the runways, taxi way, and gates going to be able to handle these beasts?

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:18 pm

Depends on what "beast" you are referring too. The C-5, An 124, An 224, B747 are all flying today and most large airports are capable of handling them. The A380 however is a different matter. Some airports can handle it already. Some can't. That is always a consideration when designing a new airliner. Will existing facilities be able to support it? A big question being asked right now is how will they get the people on board? Being a double-decker plane, it is going to require two jetways to load it. This is something that Airbus is addressing with various airport authorities.